All Eyes On Ravens’ Ray Rice In His Hometown Of New Rochelle

FOXBORO, MA - JANUARY 20: Ray Rice #27 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter against the New England Patriots during the 2013 AFC Championship game at Gillette Stadium on January 20, 2013 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) — One of the key players for the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens has roots in the Tri-State Area, and in New Rochelle, all eyes were on running back Ray Rice.

As CBS 2’s Dick Brennan reported, the Super Bowl is tense enough – particularly with a 34-minute delay sparked by a power outage. But imagine watching it with the Rice family.

The extended clan of Ravens’ star Ray Rice turned out to see New Rochelle’s favorite son in The Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49ers.

Aunts, uncles and cousins came to show their support, and their pride.

“People dream of this,” said Rice’s cousin, Khalisha Rice. “You never think someone in the family will make it, but he’s here, and were proud.”

Ray Rice was a local hero, starring at New Rochelle High School, where in his senior year he had 31 touchdowns. Then it was off to Rutgers University, and the NFL.

“They said he was too small, too short, not fast enough,” said uncle Robert Rice. :”But I say, boy, they just don’t know.”

“He’s always been a good kid; good grades too!” said uncle Clark Campbell.

With each twist of the game, including a fumble by Rice, the tension on the faces of the Rice family members was visible. And they like to work the refs.

“That’s pass interference,” a family member yelled at the TV. ”Where’s the flag? Where’s the flag? Are you
kidding me?”

And sometimes, family members yell out to get the quarterback’s attention, if he doesn’t see Ray.

“Ray’s open, come on!” a family member said. “What happened? What are they doing?

But in the end, it was sweet victory, for the Ravens and Ray Rice.

“Kept the faith, kept the faith,” Robert Rice said. “He did it. He did it in New Rochelle.”